The Trump administration and its Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke ordered a review of national monuments with the goal of eliminating some or reducing them in size-- including some in Arizona. The U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources has cleared a bill, HR 3990, that would limit the size of future monuments and give veto power to states on their creation. Any action by Zinke to downgrade our monuments or passage of this bill by the House would be unspeakable assaults on national treasures in our state.

Even if the administration and some in Congress don’t care about the intrinsic values of these places, they should appreciate the economic benefits they provide. In Arizona, outdoor recreation accounts for more jobs than defense, technology and aerospace combined. (US Senate Joint Economic Committee). A 2013 study showed nearly $28 million in economic benefits to Flagstaff from visits to local monuments. Martha McSally must pay attention to the economic needs of Arizona and vote against HR 3990.